


The Drama of Valentines

by lologoblens



Series: The Theatre Department [4]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Horses, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29441652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lologoblens/pseuds/lologoblens
Summary: Adora and Catra are busy with midterms their sophomore year of college when Valentine's day rolls around. Adora's like, pretty sure Catra's forgotten about the day entirely but that's totally fine! She can figure out a way to treat her girlfriend on the fly...right?
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Series: The Theatre Department [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020991
Comments: 38
Kudos: 112





	The Drama of Valentines

**Author's Note:**

> cw; a lil bit of pot smoking, pretty brief and inconsequential to what little plot we have going here.

“So…” Adora starts, not looking up from her notes. Casually she shares, “Glimmer mentioned we’ll have the apartment to ourselves this weekend.”

When she flicks her eyes up, she sees that Catra has also remained focused on her school work. Which is good, like super good, they have midterms next week after all. Catra should be focused. The issue is…Adora _isn’t._ Valentine’s day is Saturday and at this point she’s not even sure if they’re celebrating. Which, totally fine!

Catra’s been busy and stressed about school. It’s her first year at the art institute and seeing her actually invested in school has been amazing. Of course, Invested Catra has also ended up being a very, very _Stressed_ Catra. As she sists there, staring at her girlfriend, it occurs to her that maybe she should treat Catra this weekend. They should definitely do something for Valentine’s and Adora is gonna handle it completely!

As Adora comes to this conclusion Catra finds a pausing point and finally looks up. “Yeah, I saw her this morning. It’ll be nice to have some peace and quiet before midterms.”

Adora tips her head to the side, trying to deduce if Catra’s just that distracted or if she’s fucking with her. The bags under her eyes tell her the former is pretty likely. “Yeah, totally.”

Catra’s neutral expression shifts to something smore sinister and she waggles her eyebrows. “Of course, maybe we’ll have to take a few study breaks. Take full advantage of the privacy.”

Adora falters. Of course, she’s fully behind that plan. Living with Bow and Glimmer is great, but the rent is cheap and the walls are thin. It’s led to more than one awkward morning after encounter. _But_ , well, is it terrible of her to want to be wooed a little on valentine’s day before Catra tries to get into her pants?

Obviously if she’s wrapped up in school that’s totally fair, but if she can make time for one surely she can make time for both. Adora shakes the thought off, she’s got the romance covered on this one. And if Catra wants to eat her out in a display of gratitude, all the better.

“You’re a hopeless flirt, but yeah, keep your Saturday evening clear.” She throws on a wink at the end, knowing full well she only ‘pulls it off’ because Catra’s in love with her.

“I think I can manage that.” Catra’s smirk and the dark look in her eyes send a pleasant shiver up Adora’s spine. Blushing, she looks back at her work, ignoring her cackling girlfriend.

-{…}-

Catra loves her dumb, oblivious idiot. She can’t help the gooey smile she knows spreads across her face as she stares at her flustered girlfriend. She leans back and takes advantage of her impromptu break to stretch. Once again, she curses Sparkles and her shitty taste in dining chairs. ‘ _The glittery vinyl though! They’re so cute, Catra. Besides, I’m paying so unless you want to pony up…’_ Catra loves that woman but damn it all if she isn’t kind of a bitch.

Catra shakes the thought off, going back to mooning over Adora. She honestly can’t believe Adora actually forgot about Valentine’s Day. She thought for sure she was gonna have to bust out midterms as an excuse to not make plans this weekend. And then she mentioned Sparkle and Crop Top’s plans for the weekend, seeming to not realize _why_ they’d booked a room at some fancy hotel.

It took her a moment to compose herself when Adora brought it up. Those reservations were made at Catra’s request after all. She thought at first about booking a room for her and Adora instead but well, she’s a broke college student and is already funneling plenty of cash into her plans for the weekend. Besides, Adora’s a totally sap and Catra’s pretty sure she’s gonna want to come _home_ -to _their_ home- at the end of the night. And Bow was all too eager to help her pull her plants off.

“Hey Dork.” Adora looks up. “I love you.”

Her face melts and the heat from it melts Catra’s heart in turn. “I love you too.”

“You getting hungry for dinner?”

“Hmm…are you making it?”

Catra snorts at the question. “I mean, I was thinking heating up leftovers. So, yeah, I think I can handle that.”

“Sold! Thanks babe.” Catra gets up to get started but Adora doesn’t let her get too far. She grabs her arm and pulls her in for a quick peck before turning back to her notes. Her smile is smug and Catra just scoffs before walking off, unwilling to admit just how affected she is by the simple kiss.

Saturday afternoon they’re back at the dining table studying again when their roommates take off. Bow gives her a less than subtle signal which she waves off with a glare. A glance at Adora tells her the gesture went unnoticed, so she decides to spare Bow. For today at least, it is a holiday after all.

The moment the door clicks shut Adora starts to get…cagey. At first she’s just fidgety, which is like, really distracting but fine. Then, after an hour or so, she stands suddenly, bumping the table and making Catra’s pen slide across her page.

She’s already wincing when Catra looks up with a glare. “Sorry! Sorry, I was just, um, gonna make some tea. You want some?”

“Sure, thanks babe.” Catra answers passively.

“Right.” Catra looks up in time to see her nod awkwardly and honestly, that should have been her first clue Adora was gonna try to fuck up her plans.

She shakes it off though and is able to tune out the sounds of Adora bustling around and getting the kettle going with relative ease. There’s only a little more work she needs to do on this stupid project and then she can go into full Valentine’s day mode. She peeks at the clock, perfect timing. It’s just before two and they don’t need to be leaving the apartment until after four.

Then Adora throws her wrench in. “Hey babe?”

Catra looks up, she’s standing in front of the fridge pout on her face and a carton of almond milk in her hands. “What’s up?”

“We’re out of milk.”

“What?” Catra scrunches her eyebrows. “I just got more two days ago.”

Adora shrugs. “Maybe Bow or Glimmer borrowed?”

Catra narrows her eyes. Adora’s maybe a worse actor now than when they were in high school. She just can’t figure out why she’d lie about drinking their milk. “Crap, okay. Wanna add it to the list, I guess?”

She shifts from side to side. “Well…I kind of wanted it for my tea. Would you…maybe mind going to the store real quick?”

“Since when do you take milk in your tea?”

“Um…Bow got me on it?”

Catra raises her eyebrows at the obvious lie. Bow is a committed coffee drinker these days, he blames the CCU engineering program. “Sure he did. And you can’t go because…?”

“Well, I…um, I have…a call? Yes! I have a call. Soon.”

“A call?” Catra shifts, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

“Yep!”

“And may I ask who this call is with?”

“Which call? My call?” Catra gives her a look. “Duh! Right, it’s my…advisor.”

“Your advisor is calling you on a Saturday?”

Adora winces again. “Yes?”

Catra takes a moment to debate her move. Obviously Adora is lying. Plus, Catra really does want to wrap this project up before they have to go. So whatever Adora’s up to, she’s not sure she has time for it. She decides not to call her out, but not to go along with either. “Mmkay, can your tea wait then? I’m kind of in a flow right now.”

“Well…I-sure.” Her face is slowly going red and she’s giving Catra a really weird look.

She sighs heavily. “Yes, Adora?”

“Sorry! It’s nothing. I’m just um, really thirsty.”

“Thirsty?”

She nods vigorously. “Parched.”

Catra scoffs and grabs Adora’s water bottle off the dining table and offers it up to her. “Better hydrate then.”

If a face palm were an expression alone it would look like Adora’s face now. She accepts the bottle gingerly. “Right, of course, thanks.”

She turns away and chugs the water. Catra just chuckles at her and gets back to work. Ten minutes later, Adora is back in her seat and Catra’s phone starts going off. It’s fucking Sparkles of all people.

“Why the hell is Glitter calling me? Isn’t she supposed to be fucking her boy-“

“Dunno!” Adora says too loudly, her face red. So like, she definitely knows. Catra stares her down but, as red as she gets, she doesn’t relent.

Catra answers her phone with a sigh. “What do you want?”

A scoff trickles down the line then, “ _Wow, what a greeting._ ”

“Whatever, get to it or I’m hanging up. I have shit to do today.”

“ _Wait! I’m-_ “ She sounds like she’s chewing on glass when she says, “ _I’m sorry. I need a favor._ ”

“Ugh, and you’re calling me over Adora because…” A look at Adora finds her not curiously trying to deduce their friend’s end of the conversation, but studiously looking down at her textbook.

“ _It’s…a secret! Yeah, a secret, you know how Adora is with secrets._ ” And it’s really too bad Adora is such a shit actor, because Glitter’s story actually tracks.

“Yeah, I _do_ know how Adora is with secrets.” She stares her girlfriend down, but she refuses to look up. Her face just gets gradually redder. “What do you need exactly?”

“ _I uh…I forgot something at home. For Bow. Can you bring it to the hotel?_ ”

“Nope, sorry like I said, I have shit to do today.”

Glimmer groans loudly. “ _You seriously can’t pause studying for like, twenty minutes? Please? I’ll owe you big time_.”

Catra glances at the clock and then to her computer. She probably has an hour left of work, and just shy of two hours before they need to leave. And she still needs to sneak off to get hot. She bought new underwear for this shit. It’s itchy as fuck but it’s sexy and in her budget so, she’ll live.

“Glim, I really can’t. You’re gonna have to come get it yourself.” From the corner of her eye, she sees Adora scowling at her book.

“ _Please? I’ll give you twenty bucks!_ ”

“Yeah, I’m broke, Sparkles, but not that desperate.”

“ _Catra! Just-ugh! You’re fucking impossible. Can you just-_ “

And now Catra’s getting irritated. Maybe Adora is in on this but like, fucking boundaries, she said no. She stands abruptly, ignoring Adora who finally looks up in alarm. She stalks into their room and shuts the door firmly behind her. In an angry whisper so as not to let Adora hear her, she starts in.

“Glimmer! What the fuck is your problem? You know you’re not the only one celebrating Valentine’s Day, right? Like, take a fucking hint and back off.”

There’s silence on the other line and then. “ _You…didn’t forget?_ ”

And that gives her pause. “What?”

A loud sigh and then, “ _Listen, I know Adora’s face when I called you was probably a dead giveaway already, but I don’t actually need anything from the apartment._ ”

“I mean, I figured something was up.” Catra grumbles.

“ _Just…sounds like you have something planned but if you can spare like, twenty minutes out of the house it’ll mean a lot to her._ ”

“What is she planning?”

She just laughs outright. “ _Yeah right, D’riluth_.”

“Whatever, I’ll see what I can do.”

“ _Great, I’m gonna get back to my own partner now._ ” And then she’s gone with a click.

Catra groans and rubs her face briskly. So apparently Adora didn’t forget Valentine’s after all but thought Catra had. Their plans better fucking not conflict. Catra’s tried to make this happen for so many fucking holidays over the last three years…. Turns out gypsy-whatever, not the point. It’s fucking happening. But if Adora needs a few minutes to do…whatever, Catra supposes she can get her work done in forty-five minutes instead of an hour.

She glances at the bed, under which is a box containing Adora’s gift and Catra’s new lingerie. She thinks about changing into that now, just in case, but decides against it. She walks out to find Adora staring at her phone.

“I’m going out for milk.”

Adora looks up, clearly startled. “Huh?”

“Glimmer got me all riled up, I need a breath of fresh air.” She gives her a look, a look that hopefully reads as something of a warning. “I’ll be gone for _fifteen minutes_.”

“Okay.” she answers, looking a bit struck. Catra nods, grabs her shit, and walks out in a bit of a huff.

Going to the store ends up taking ten minutes, but Catra promised fifteen so she dutifully sits in her car for five. She uses the time to check her reservations for the evening. The second her time is up, she’s hauling ass upstairs. Turns out her time away was a huge mistake.

When she walks in the door the air is filled with dark grey smoke and the fire alarm is blaring.

“What the _fuck,_ Adora?” She shouts, leaving the door open for ventilation.

She feels a little bad for the clear frustration in her voice when she makes it to the kitchen. Adora is waving a cookie sheet uselessly in front of the kitchen fire alarm. She also crying, for hurt or frustration Catra’s isn’t sure. Her head snaps up when Catra walks in.

“Shit! You’re home already.”

“What _happened_?”

“It-I-It’s-“ A small sob escapes her chest and Catra takes a step closer. A small shake of Adora’s head denies her, and she watches the cookie sheet fall to the ground with a clatter. “I was trying to woo you!” she wails.

Awful as it is, Catra can’t help but laugh. “By setting the kitchen on fire?”

She chuckles, watery and pathetic. “Shut up, D’riluth.”

“Not a chance, Greyskull.” She crosses to open the window and turns to ask over her shoulder, “Seriously, what happened here? I was gone fifteen minutes!”

“I-I was gonna make-Mara sent me the recipe for that tuna casserole you like. Glimmer even helped me do all the prep! I don’t know how-ugh! You’ve been so stressed and when I realized you forgot about Valentine’s this weekend, I thought it would be a good chance to treat you. You’re working so hard and you deserve-well…not this.” She looks so dejected, Catra approaches her once more to pull her into a hug.

“You sweet, sweet idiot.” She pulls back to look Adora in the eye when she says, “I didn’t forget.”

“I-huh?” Adora gives her a little bewildered face. Between that and how red her eyes have turned from smoke she looks totally stoned.

“Aright, let’s go in the room to finish this conversation, my eyes are fucking burning.”

“Right, sorry.” Adora says sheepishly, making no effort to leave. Catra rolls her eyes and grabs her hand, closing the front door on the way, and leading her to their room. She closes the door and sits Adora on the bed. “So…you didn’t forget?”

“ _No_ , babe.” She smiles smuggle at Adora’s continued face of confusion. “Hey, I may be a techie, but I’m still a better actor than you.”

That breaks her stupor a little and she shoves Catra’s shoulder. “Shut up! I made a great chorus member number five.”

Catra snorts. “You sure did, baby. Watching you from the booth was the highlight of my high school career. Well, that and beating you out for valedictorian…”

Adora rolls her eyes but it’s clearly lighthearted. “Shut up, not like we didn’t know you were the smart one from the start.”

“Hmm, very true.”

“So…”

“Yes?”

“If you remembered Valentine’s Day…”

“Yes…?”

“Well, did you, um, have something planned, or?”

“What, since yours fell through?” Adora leaves her response at an exaggerated pout. “Yeah, I have plans for us. I want to get a bit more studying done, but be ready to leave by four fifteen, okay?”

“Where are we going?”

“As if, Greyskull. Dress nice but warm, or layers at least.”

She narrows her eyes and Catra just laughs at the expression. “Catra…”

“ _No way._ Did you have more work today?”

She shakes her head slowly, never taking her eyes off Catra. “Not really.”

“Great! Why don’t you take a nice, hot bath and relax a bit? You can even use some of my salts.”

Adora raises an impressed brow. “The fancy ones?”

“Psh, like I buy shit bath salts. Obviously, the nice ones.”

“Okay, see _I_ was trying to woo _you_ today though.” she pouts.

“Yeah, well I made my plans first.”

“Says who?” Adora protests stubbornly.

“Baby,” Catra begins, leaning into her space and smoldering her eyes. “why do you think we have the apartment to ourselves this weekend?”

Adora gasps. “Nuh uh!”

“Uh, yeah huh. Go get in the bath, Adora. Just clear out of the bedroom half hour early, okay? I gotta get ready too.”

She stands, pressing a kiss to Adora’s head and leaving without waiting for a response. She has a lot of work to do if they’re gonna get out of here on time.

-{…}-

Adora stews in the bath. Naturally she can totally believe it, but at the same time she _can’t believe_ Catra pulled a fast one on her. She gets ready slowly, stumped by Catra’s instruction for attire. Nice but _warm_? It’s February, surely they’re not gonna be outside…right?

At exactly four fifteen Adora is standing in front of the door. She’d spent the last of her time fussing with her hair, pulling it up and letting it down repeatedly. She finally settled on down, in large part because she snapped her hair tie and figured that was as good a sign as she was gonna get.

She decided a suit was her best option for both nice and warm. In the end, though she debated stealing Catra’s old bowtie, she ended up in a bolo tie. Catra teases her every time she wears it, but she also likes to use the end to drag her in for kisses. So, goofy or not, it gets the job done.

When she walked out the bedroom door was still closed, and at twenty past she’s just thinking of going to check on Catra. A knock from the door behind her startles her. What startles her even more is finding Catra on the other side. She’s dressed to kill in a burgundy suit the D’reams gifted her for her last birthday and has a bouquet of violets held out and a bag slung over her arm.

“ _Catra_ …” Adora scolds tenderly, accepting the flowers and a kiss on her cheek.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, baby. You ready to go?”

“I should put these in water, but yeah, pretty much.

“Cool, there’s a vase on your side table.”

Adora shakes her head. “You just think of everything, don’t you?”

“Hm, I try. Hurry up though, we’re late.”

“Hmm…late for what again?” Adora asks, unable to resist the opportunity to needle her.

Catra doesn’t bite, rolling her eyes and looking pointedly at her wrist. It’s bare, for now, but Adora gets the idea. She hustles to get the flowers in the vase which, sure enough, is filled on her bedside. Catra also took the time to tie a gauzy red ribbon around the neck and the thought makes Adora’s heart race.

She scoots back to the door and Catra offers her arm, leading Adora outside and downstairs. Automatically, Adora starts veering to their car but Catra keeps steady in the opposite direction.

“Uhh…Catra? Did you forget where we parked?”

The answering grin she gets tells her all she needs to know, but Catra still says, “I thought we’d walk.”

“Walk?” Adora questions, raising an eyebrow. Not that she’s a big fan of the cold or anything, but her girlfriend is the one who protests to so much as getting the mail when the temperature drops too low.

“It’s not far, and we’re getting a ride back.”

They turn onto the road Adora knows leads to the highstreet not too far away. Her curiosity, if it wasn’t already, is well and truly piqued. “From who?”

“Hm, we’ll see.”

Adora’s eyes narrow in suspicion. “Are you being cagey about getting an uber?”

“Ha! Maybe, you’re just gonna have to be patient.”

Adora scoffs at that, it is a well established fact that Adora Greyskull possess exactly zero ounces of chill. “Yeah, right. If it’s not an uber… _hm_ , is one of our friend’s coming to get us?”

“It’s Valentine’s day, Adora.” Adora just shrugs and Catra huffs out a laugh. “Lemme put it this way; my answer would be a firm _no_ , but yours will probably be yes.”

That baffles her a bit. “Is it Glimmer?”

That makes Catra laugh so hard they have to pause a block up from the main drag. She stands upright once more a minute later, wiping a stray tear away with her free arm. “ _Is it Glimmer?_ Stars alive. I mean, good guess, but pretty sure she and Bow are fucking right now.”

“ _Catra!_ ”

“What?” She says with a snicker in her voice and an innocent look on her face.

“Gross.”

“Oh please, I know you and Glitter talk openly about your sex lives at this point. How else would she know I have a freckle on my-“

“Okay! Alright, yes that’s true.” Adora laughs. “I still don’t need to think about it like, _while_ it’s happening.”

“Pft, I’m not sure I see the difference, but I think we’ve spent more than enough time discussing our roommates sex life so I’m not gonna inquire any further.”

“Thank fuck. Okay, so if it’s not an uber and it’s not our friends… _ooh!_ Is it a taxi?” She pauses but cuts Catra off before she can answer with her usual snark. “Or any other ride service in which you arrange to be picked up and dropped off in exchange for money?”

Catra probably thinks Adora doesn’t notice her hesitate but she does. She manages to withhold her _aha!_ but just barely. “It’s not a taxi or other rideshare service, no.” Catra answers evasively. Adora immediately starts trying to figure out an angle for delving deeper into whatever is going on there. Before she can get there, they’ve stopped suddenly.

“We’re here!”

Adora looks at the business in front of them to find a bougie pizzeria. “Pizza?” She asks, feeling a grin start to spread across her face.

“Yes, but _fancy_ pizza.” Catra clarifies. “Just don’t embarrass me by ordering pineapple in there, alright?”

Adora smirks and crosses to hold the door open for her date. “No promises.” She answers with a wink as Catra passes through the door.

She laughs at her but Adora can tell she’s charmed. Goofy as she knows they look; a wink always seems to grab Catra by her heartstrings. Which, y’know, Adora loves.

Once inside Catra gives her name (because she made a reservation, like she clearly _planned_ this) and they’re seated quickly. It’s early, probably their first seating for the night, but even still the restaurant is full of couples. The tables are dark wood with black tablecloths, and each is illuminated by candlelight, the rest of the lights in the place dimmed low. It’s such cliché romance, Adora _loves_ that it’s coming from Catra. She’s so fucking gooey.

A server takes care of them quickly and soon they’re left alone to wait for their pizzas. When Catra had insisted on two larges Adora told her it was too much food. She’d just stayed her with a hand on her arm and told her, “Don’t be ridiculous, you’re gonna want leftovers like, three hours after we leave.” and Adora fell a little bit more in love.

Menus out of the way, Catra has her arm laid across the table and Adora is running her fingers over it lightly. “You’re really sweet, you know that?” Adora muses after a prolonged silence. Catra shrugs and Adora shakes her head before she can speak. “I mean it, who would have ever guessed that Catra D’riluth would end up being such a romantic?”

“Please, we both know you’re the romantic here.”

“No way! Babe, I tried- _and failed_ \- to make you _casserole_ for Valentine’s Day. If either of us is a master wooer here, it’s definitely not me.”

Catra rolls her eyes and grabs Adora’s hand in hers on its next travel down her arm. “I think…” Catra starts, unlinking her hand from Adora’s to play with her fingers. “We’re both saps and you’re just better at telling me a little bit every day. I just say it all at once and remind you how annoying you are in between, so your head doesn’t get too big.”

Adora’s heart stutters in a wave of emotion and her whole being just melts. “Wow, Cat.” She sniffs, blinking away the threat of tears. “That was really gay.”

Catra laughs, throwing her head back with the force of it. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“So…on the topic of gay romance,” Catra raises her eyebrows. “I have something for you.”

“What, like a present?” She grins wide, already searching Adora with her eyes.

“Yeah, babe, like a present.” Adora pulls the box from her interior jacket pocket and slides it across the table. It’s fairly nondescript, just a simple red box with a small white bow. “You can shake it,” Adora says when Catra accepts it. “but not hard.”

“Deal.” She immediately holds it to her ear and shakes gently, making a face at the sound. It doesn’t take long for her to give up her investigation and pull the bow off. When she pulls out the rose gold watch her expression melts, eyes softening impossibly. “ _Adora…_ ”

“Yeah?” Adora asks, nearly bouncing in her seat.

Catra finally looks up from the watch and Adora sees tears in the corner of her eyes, swelling with pride at the sight. “Hell _yeah_ , baby, it’s beautiful. You really didn’t need-“

“I know! That’s why it’s fun.” Catra just rolls her eyes at the phrase, made familiar by not only Adora, but Bow and Scorpia also.

“The face, is it-“

“Pearl.” Adora nods.

Catra shakes her head, fighting an elated smile; she loves it. Adora knew she’s been needing a new watch ever since the pleather strap on her old one bit it. (And this was after she’d cracked the face.) She’d been nervous about picking an investment piece like this though, she’s more than a little please to have gotten it so clearly right.

“Put it on for me?” Adora nods and take the watch, carefully clasping it on Adora’s wrist.

“It looks perfect.”

“You’re perfect.” Catra answers, the response automatic. “I uh, I actually have something for you too.”

“Aw, Cat, you already-“ Catra gives her a look and she pinches her lips closed, smiling despite herself. “Right, thank you is what I meant. You really didn’t need to though.”

“Yeah well, I hear that’s the fun part, so.” She pulls a long, thin box from her bag and presents it to Adora.

She takes the box gingerly and starts neatly unwrapping the red paper, pausing only to stick the purple bow on to her head. It’s clear that her methodical progress is driving Catra nuts, but she keeps her mouth shut. Finally, Adora finishes, setting her neatly folded wrapping paper to the side.

She looks up with a bemused smile. “Sparklers?”

“Hmm.”

Adora knows Catra well enough to see that the look on her face definitely means…something. She’s pretty confident that what she just unwrapped isn’t _just_ sparklers, but rather a part of some grander plan. She doesn’t press her on it though, just leans over the table to give her a quick kiss.

“Thank you, Cat. Maybe we can light some up when we get home.”

“You read my mind, Princess.” She smirks right back at her. “We’ve got a joint waiting to be lit up back at the apartment too.”

“Well, don’t you just think of everything?”

“Pretty much.” Adora rolls her eyes and a short while later their playful banter is cut off by the arrival of their food.

It’s amazing, of course, their whole dinner is. Adora can scarcely believe how fast it flies by, stunned when Catra is signing the bill. Her completely stuffed stomach assures her that they were in fact there for a full meal.

“So,” Adora asks as they stand, “do I finally get to find out who this surprise ride is?”

Catra glances up from her phone with a grin. “Perfect timing, baby. They’re out front now.”

Adora grins right back at her and picks up her pace, giving the hostess a wave and polite goodbye on her way out the door. She holds the door open for Catra and looks up and down the street, searching for this mysterious ride.

She’s not sure what she’s looking for, but she assumes it isn’t the minivan, or the douchey looking Audi, or the horse drawn carriage, or the- _Wait!_

“You didn’t!” she squeals without turning away from the _beautiful_ pair of gypsy horses standing mere feet away from her.

“Nope.” Catra answers languidly. “I sure didn’t.”

Adora spins on her heal, her girlfriend is looking all too pleased with herself. As much as Adora would like to play it cool in the face of that look, she’s far too elated. “Okay, but you did though, didn’t you?”

“I did, Adora.” Her smile melts into something indulgent.

“ _They_ …” Adora turns halfway to point at the horses. She catches the driver hiding a good natured laugh at her expense but remains unfazed. “…are here for _us_.”

“Yes, you massive nerd, they’re here for us. So, are you gonna get in the fucking carriage, Greyskull? Or are you gonna walk home and meet me there?”

Adora squeals again, she stops at the front of the carriage and waves awkwardly at the driver. “Um…can I, like, say hi? To them.”

She ignores Catra who is snickering behind her at her enthusiasm. Instead, she chooses to focus on the driver giving her a resounding, “Yes, of course. This is Kowl right here next to me and over there is Lookee.”

“ _Hi_ Kowl, Lookee.” She greets with a tentative smile, offering her fingers for sniff. She giggles when their snuffling makes their whiskers tickle at her hands. “Nice to meet you, I’m Adora.”

She laughs when Kowl noses at her hand, prompting pets. Catra and the driver start talking, Adora thinks she overhears that their name is Edgar and feels a little bad for not asking. She’s not really listening to them though, fully engrossed in her new friends. In fact, she’s so engrossed she doesn’t notice Catra sneak up next to her.

“How are we doing over here?” she asks, making Adora jump and the horses nicker.

“Oh! Hey babe. Lookee, Kowl, this is my girlfriend. Her name is Catra.”

“Sup?” Catra greet them with a small nod. Adora rolls her eyes with a fond smile. Then Catra digs in her bag and produces another box.

“Catra!” Adora protests. “What is this?”

“Not for you, for them.” Adora raises and eyebrow and opens the box too find some sugar cubes and a few carrot sticks cut in half. Before Adora can open her mouth to ask, Catra assures her, “Edgar already gave the green light on snacks.”

“You’re the literal _best_!” Adora proclaims, smacking her cheek with a kiss. “Don’t you guys think she’s the best?” she asks the horses, taking Kowl’s soft whinny as a yes.

She holds out the snacks one at a time, giggling when they lick her palm in search of more treats. A little wheedling and she convinces Catra to get in on it too. Of course, she gives Kowl one sugar cube, makes a fuss over the slobber and proclaims, “Yeah, I’m fucking set now. Thanks for the horse germs, Lookee.”

“That was Kowl.” Adora corrects absently, ignoring Catra when she starts wiping the slobber theatrically on Adora’s arm.

“Whatever. Are you out of snacks yet?”

“I have one more sugar cube for each of you!” Her answer goes to the horses instead of her girlfriend. Once they’re fed, she scratches behind their ears a little more. When she pulls away it’s only because Catra has begun to grumble about the cold.

They climb into the carriage and Catra covers them up in the waiting blankets. Soon Lookee and Kowl are on the move, pulling the carriage down the highstreet and a leisurely pace.

“This is the coolest!” Adora tells Catra, snuggling up in her arms. “Horse drawn carriage, spark…lers…” She sits up suddenly, looking at Catra with wide eyes. “Sparklers are fireworks.”

Catra gives her a weird look and answers, “Well…yeah, they are.”

“Horse drawn carriage…fireworks…” Adora makes a show of looking around. “Where are the white doves? Pretty sure they’re the only thing missing from the perfect promposal.”

Catra snorts. “Yeah, well, you were too preoccupied with the horses. They were actually pretty offended you didn’t notice them.”

Adora laughs but also her heart stops at the joke. “Catra…”

“What?” The weird look is back. “You’re being weird.”

Adora’s eyes cut to the driver, Lookee, and Kowl but it’s clear none of them are listening. “Babe, you’re not…”

“Not what?” Adora narrows her eyes and searches Catra’s expression. It doesn’t _seem_ like she’s hiding anything.

“You’re not… _you know_.”

“Uh, I really don’t.”

“There’s not like…something you were planning to _ask me_ tonight, is there?”

“You mean other than if you wanna fuck when we get home?”

Adora rolls her eyes. “Okay, you introduced me to horses, obviously you’re gonna get lucky.” Catra’s snorts of laughter almost drown out the rest of Adora’s sentence and now Edgar _is_ looking back. “That’s not what I mean though! Obviously.”

Catra calms herself enough to say, “Okay, well then what _are_ you getting at?”

Adora huffs, cutting her eyes to the front of the carriage once more. It looks like they’re being ignored again but she still lowers her voice when she asks, “Babe, are you…is this like, a _proposal_ -proposal?”

Catra blanches…

 _And_ then she about falls off the bench seat laughing. “ _What?_ Adora! We’re _twenty_ , we wouldn’t even be able to participate in the champagne toast at our own wedding!”

“Okay, yeah, well-“ Adora starts, already drowning in hot embarrassment.

“I-I can’t afford an _engagement_ _ring_ right now! I work like, eight hours a week at the campus library!”

“Well, you wouldn’t _have_ to get me a ring if you proposed!”

Catra settles further, no longer gasping for breath. She rolls her eyes to tell Adora, “Okay, well obviously I’m gonna get you a ring when I propose, Greyskull. Don’t be an idiot.”

“Okay, one; you’re a brat. Two; who says you get to propose?” She gives Catra a look, pleased at the opportunity to turn the tables.

Catra’s unfazed though, in fact she looks rather smug. “Mara already gave me her blessing.”

Adora laughs, short and incredulous. “I’m sorry, you asked _Mara_ for permission to marry me? …And you’re not even proposing?”

She scoffs. “No, I didn’t fucking ask her. She randomly brought it up last time we were home. And then she pulls out-“ Catra’s eyes go wide. “Um. Yeah, she was just being a brat, you know Mara.”

“What were you gonna say?” Adora presses.

“Nothing!” And now her girlfriend is being cagey. Frankly they’re not moving fast enough for Adora to put jumping out of the carriage past her. She holds her hand just in case.

“Catra…”

“It’s _nothing_.”

“Yeah huh, clearly. What did she pull out?”

“ _Adora_ , drop it, it’s nothing.”

“If it was nothing you wouldn’t be so weird right now. Come on, tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell _me!_ ”

“A ring Adora!” she finally bursts. “Obviously it was a fucking ring, okay?”

And that certainly is enough to stop Adora in her tracks. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Catra grumbles, snuggling back into her arms. “oh.”

“Do you…did you take it?”

For two blocks she isn’t sure she’ll get an answer. Then Catra mumbles. “I told her I’d think about it.”

“Oh yeah?” Adora asks, unable to fight her grin.

“It’s some…” She waves a hand in the air. “Eternia family heirloom. Razz’s mom maybe?”

“Sounds…fancy?” Adora tries, not really sure what to say to that. What the fuck was Mara thinking? Why did she never know about this? And why wouldn’t she keep the ring for Hope? And-her mind swirls with questions.

“Whatever, she was clearly just trying to get a rise out of me. I think she got carried away with her own bit. And anyway, it’s not…it’s not what I was picturing.”

“Picturing?” Adora’s voice pitches up on the question.

“I thought…maybe a band? Simple.”

“You’ve thought about that?” Adora asks, unable to keep the tenderness form her voice.

She feels Catra shrug. “A little. Maybe.”

Adora sits with that for a moment. It’s not like she’s never thought about marrying Catra. It’s just always been more…vague, ephemeral. A definitely someday sort of vibe. “Simple sounds nice.”

Catra pulls back to look at her face, expression soft but unreadable. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Adora nods. “I…when um, when do you think you’d want to, um…get something…simple? Like that.”

“I’m not sure, after graduation definitely. And I mean, I know you’re already thinking about grad school. So…”

“I’m in no rush.” Adora assures with a smile.

Catra grins right back. “Cool, yeah, me neither.”

“Great.”

“Great.”

“So, the carriage and the fireworks are just…”

Catra looks away, adorable bashful. “Well…truth be told I _did_ try and pull something like this off for senior prom. It uh,” She rubs the back of her neck. “wasn’t totally in my budget back then.”

That makes Adora frown. “Catra, how much did all-“

A hand claps over her mouth and Catra stares her down with an annoyed look. “Nope, do not go there with me, Greyskull. You will not win.”

“Mmph nn eh-“

“Adora,” Catra scolds, holding her hand firmly in its place. “I’d rather see the whole world end than listen to you talk about how much all this cost me.”

She rolls her eyes at the dramatics but throws her hands up in surrender. Catra eyes her for another beat but finally drops her hand. “Thank you.” is what Adora says once she can speak again. She leans in to press a soft kiss to Catra’s lips. Before pulling back all the way she whispers, “It’s amazing.”

Catra huffs but her smile is pleased, bordering on smug. “Yeah, well. It’s not because I like you or anything.”

“Psh, yeah it’s because you _love me_.” Adora singsongs right back.

“Shut up, Greyskull.”

“Hm, make me.”

Catra raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Maybe later.”

Adora feels her face heat at the subtext of her words and looks away. It’s only then that she realizes they’ve taken a detour and are circling the park nearby. It’s pretty dang magical. She turns back to Catra, face still warm but a refreshed smile on her face.

“Hey, I love you.”

Catra smiles back, the expression gooey than she’d surely ever admit to. “Love you too, dummy.”

Adora reaches out and pulls her close, settling in further to their seat. She hums contentedly and kisses the top of Catra’s head. They stay snuggled up for the rest of their ride, the persistent _clop clop_ of hooves on pavement the only sound filling the space between them.

Getting out of their carriage cocoon is practically torture, it really is cold as shit out today. Adora takes her time saying goodbye to their new friends. She thanks Lookee and Kowl several times over, and even remembers to extend her gratitude to Edgar before parting ways. Catra nearly has to drag her away but the pull of their warm apartment is enough to get Adora moving.

Once inside they shed their layers and flop onto the couch. Well, Adora flops, Catra heads to the room and comes back with a joint before flopping. She gets it lit and passes it to Adora who takes a long hit and feels herself melt on the exhale.

They’re quiet for the first few hits, then Adora turns to give Catra a lazy smile. “Hey, you’re my valentine.”

Catra’s eyes are squinty and red, and it looks like she’s nearly gone boneless for how relaxed into the couch she is. “Fuck yeah I am, baby.”

“That’s so cool.”

“Maybe, but you’re a nerd. You know that, right?”

“Mhm, but you like it.”

“Psh, I do _not_ like you.”

“Sure, sure.” Adora chuckles. “I might be more prepared to believe that if not for the whole-“ she waves an arm grandly, nearly smacking Catra in the face. “you know, horse drawn carriage and fireworks thing. _Ooh!_ Sparklers!”

Catra snorts out a laugh. “You wanna go outside and light some up?”

Adora makes a face. “Ugh, I do but outside is cold.”

“Word, maybe wait?”

“Please.” She puts on a pout. “I’m too stoned to leave the warm.”

“Sounds good, Princess.” She says with a roll of her eyes, adding, “You know, if you keep making that face it’s gonna get stuck or some shit.”

“ _Hmm_ ,” Adora sighs, closing her eyes and relaxing her expression. She relines further into her seat, throwing her right leg over her left knee. “So, what now?”

When she turns her head and opens her eyes to look at Catra, she finds her staring right back. She’s sat sideways on the couch, elbow propped on the back and her head in her hand. “Well…” She starts, the glint in her eye telling Adora she’s probably about to be flirted with. “I did arrange for us to have the apartment to ourselves tonight. _And_ you still have one more present to get into.”

Adora’s brow furrows. “What? Catra, but the horses-“

“Adora.” Catra cuts her off, rolling her eyes. Her free hand reaches up and under the neckline of her top. When she pulls it free again a hint of something lacey if hooked around one finger. Adora gulps. “What’s that expression about looking a gift horse in the mouth?”

“Uh…” Adora says distractedly, eyes focused on that scrap of pink lace. “Not to?”

“Right, so…”

“So,” Adora’s eyes snap up to Catra’s face. “First one to the bed gets to eat first.”

With that she catapults off the couch, leaving a laughing Catra behind her struggling to get up. It’s not much of a race but the way Adora sees it, it’s really a win-win sort of situation. She hops onto the bed, bouncing a little from the force of her jump. Catra is close behind her, top evidently discarded along the way.

“Hey Adora.”

“H-hey D’riluth.” She clears her throat. “You know, you keep spoiling me like this and I’m gonna start getting used to it.”

A Cheshire Cat grin rolls across Catra’s face. “Oh, Adora, baby.” She’s across the room and pouncing on Adora in a flash. “That’s been the plan all along.”

And really, how is Adora supposed to respond to a statement like that? There are no words, so she just kisses her.

And kisses her.

And she just keeps on kissing her with absolutely no end in sight.

**Author's Note:**

> Hiii! Thanks for reading this cotton candy fluff piece.  
> If you're following The Drama of College; I was aiming to update and maybe even finish that one before posting this but, y'know, I didn't. 🤷 I do fully intend to circle back but lost my steam a bit so that update is coming...at some point. (whoops)  
> I also have another, unrelated Vday o/s in the works but odds of it getting posted today are p much 50/50 if I'm honest. But it's coming, and it's spicier and (if I do say so myself-which I do) shaping up to be a real hoot. So, maybe I'll see ya there later!
> 
> ...okathxbai!


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